Choices
by SomethingOrOther114
Summary: If you had to risk someone's sanity or their life, what would you choose? And not just any someone, but your best friend, the queen of your secret society, and someone who is especially susceptible to madness. This is Rose Hathaway's choice. Set after Last Sacrifice.


**_AN: Just a little something that's been running through my head for a little while. Enjoy. I don't own anything._  
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**Chapter 1**

It's been two weeks since that damn letter was left in my room; printed, no name, in an unsealed envelope with no stamp. It wouldn't surprise me if whoever wrote it used gloves and wore a hairnet. There was absolutely nothing to link the letter to whoever wrote it, not that I would of tried looking for any forensic evidence anyway. I probably could've gotten someone to have a look at it but then the likelihood of Lissa or Dimitri, hell even my mom or Abe, knowing about it would increase, and I couldn't let that happen. They'd only try to stop me, and I don't know if I want to be stopped. I mean, I don't have a death wish or anything, I've faced death more times than I care to admit, but if it came to me or Lissa, well I'd walk to my death without a second thought. The only thing stopping me now is the thought that the letter was someone's idea of a sick joke, and that the fact that me giving up my life for her had the potential to drive her from mentally fragile to insane.

How did I know this? Well it seems that since my recent brush with death, in the form of bullets being shot into my chest, didn't actually break the bond between Lissa and I at all. If anything, it only expanded it. Now not only can I see into Lissa's head, but now she can see into mine as well. It didn't happen often, seeing as we were both adept at blocking the other out, but now that I knew it was a possibility I had to be extra careful about what I thought about around her and had to keep my guard up at all times. I can only imagine what she'd say if she saw the letter. It helped that she couldn't as easily escape into my head as I often did hers, but with the way I've been acting lately, it wouldn't be long until she tried.

I wouldn't say the pressure of being queen was getting to her, per se, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't taking its toll. Moroi dissidents trying to kill her and Jill didn't help either, although some of that stress was alleviated when we relocated Jill to Palm Springs. Mostly, it was the constant bickering of those on the council and their attempts to block any change to the laws stating that she needed at least one family member to rule. That and worry for me, seeing as with Jill gone, the rebels had gone back to trying to kill her. Not that I couldn't handle myself but she worried nonetheless, especially given that I've basically forbidden her to heal me with magic. The cost was too much in my opinion, despite her protests that she would be fine. I try to draw as much of the darkness out of her as I can, but for some reason I'm always met with some resistance. It's not just Lissa blocking me either, it's this new and 'improved' bond. Lissa may prefer it this way, but I certainly don't. It makes me decision regarding the letter even more difficult.

I turn back to the letter, giving it a glare of such immense magnitude that I'm kind of surprised that it doesn't just burst into flames right then and there. Instead, I walk over and pick it up.

_'Guardian Rosemarie Hathaway,_

_If you rather not see your beloved bond-mate ending up like dear Tatiana, then give yourself up. Leave Court and return to Spokane, where your life should have ended in the first place. Don't even think about telling anyone about this if you value the lives of your loved ones. Need I remind you that not everyone is who they say they are. It is those closest to you that will inevitably betray you. You need only to look to Lady Ozera as proof. You have until the 7th to make your decision. Choose wisely._

_PS: Don't bother bringing any weapons.'_

The carefully veiled threats aren't lost on me. I know if I leave then my life will be on the line-no scratch that, I will die. If I somehow managed to stay alive Lissa would send someone, most likely multiple someones, after me. She'd force me to come back, and then whoever sent the letter would use their inside people to try and kill her. I have no doubt that they have people on the inside, it's the only way they would've known about the bond coming back. We tried to remain tight-lipped about it, but as the queen there were things that for her safety had to be shared, the bond being one of them.

I only have three days to figure out what to do. Ideally, I'd come up with a plan that could ensure Lissa's safety without my having to give myself up, but try as I might I just can't think of anything. That only leaves two options, trust that I and my fellow guardians can protect Lissa and hope that no rebels will get past us, or give myself up and hope that I'd be forgiven and that Lissa can move on without me. And here I was hoping that life would get easier after my best friend got elected queen.

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**_I haven't written anything more for this. Should I continue? Reviews would be helpful and highly appreciated. _**


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